


Butterbeer and Dragons

by RayQueen



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Family Fluff, First Meetings, Fleur deserves better, Gen, POV Bill Weasley, POV Third Person, Platonic Charlie & Fleur, Platonic Female/Male Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:20:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26308462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RayQueen/pseuds/RayQueen
Summary: His mum and sister don't like his fiancée, his brothers are not the best to her either, but there's one sibling that hasn't met Fleur yet, and Bill can't wait for Charlie to meet her.
Relationships: Fleur Delacour/Bill Weasley
Comments: 4
Kudos: 51





	Butterbeer and Dragons

Bill tapped the mug in his hands with his middle finger. He was nervous. That was something he didn’t feel every day, and he didn’t like it. He didn’t like it at all. Bill took a sip of the cold butterbeer in an attempt to soothe his nerves. Rosmerta knew how cold he liked his drink, and she didn’t disappoint. He could feel the path the liquid was taking inside his body and it helped to keep him centered. At least until he spotted a head of red hair making its way towards him.

Charlie Weasley was Bill’s best friend. No one could deny that. Not only were they closer in age, which allowed for a lot of time spent together at home and Hogwarts, but they were incredibly similar. The edgy style, the crazy desire to explore the world, the need to do something different with their lives instead of sitting behind a desk all day. Some would say that they were as similar as Fred and George. There was only one thing, one stark difference. Bill was a lot more family-oriented than Charlie ever was. If any of the Weasleys called, Bill was the first to pick up, drop everything and run home to help. Charlie was shocked when he heard that Bill was working a desk job at Gringotts.

It was because of all those similarities, and that one striking difference, that Bill was more nervous to introduce Fleur to Charlie than to anyone else in the family. Before he even proposed, he sent a letter to Charlie to see what he thought about it. Hell, before he asked her out, he asked Charlie what he thought. And yet, he was the only Weasley that hadn’t met his fiancée.

“So, where is she?” Charlie asked, taking his place in the seat across from Bill.

“Hi, Charlie. Great to see you, too. I haven’t seen you in so long. Yeah, I’m fine. Thank you for asking. How are you?” The sarcasm dripped from Bill’s voice. He knew Charlie was not one for pleasantries, but that wouldn’t keep him from making fun of his brother.

“I’ve seen you every single day for 18 years. Your face is not news to me. Hers is.” Charlie replied. He raised his hand to get Madam Rosmerta’s attention and ordered a butterbeer and a cauldron cake for himself.

“I’ve sent you pictures,” Bill stated, matter-of-factly. The familiar banter was making him more comfortable by the second.

“Pictures are not the same as real life. I’ve heard she’s prettier than her pictures. Something that cannot be said about you.” 

Bill laughed and relaxed completely in his chair. “Do not even think about flirting with her. You hear me, Weasley?”

“Loud and clear, Weasley.”

“Who told you she was prettier in person than in the pictures I sent you?”

“Dad.” Charlie shrugged. “You know the man. He’s a sweetheart. He sent a five-page letter detailing everything that went down at home during Christmas.”

Bill thanked the Heavens every day for his father. He’d tried to talk to Fleur and make her feel welcome, even though he didn’t always have the most interesting topics. Bill thanked the Heavens even more for Harry Potter. Harry was the only one who seemed to act naturally around Fleur, and she always looked pretty comfortable around him. He was not the blubbering mess that Ron was, or always trying to be funny like Fred and George. He was also not ignoring her like Percy in the whole ten minutes he spent in the Burrow during his appearance with the Minister. And he was definitely not being condescending and chilly towards her like his mother and Ginny. Fleur even mentioned that she considered Harry a friend, and Bill knew that she didn’t just throw the word around.

“You still haven’t told me where she is,” Charlie pressed.

“At work. She got a little behind today and she hates leaving without having finished everything.”

“Oh, alright. So I’m just going to look around the stores and come back when she gets here.” Bill gave him a funny look. Charlie laughed. “I’m kidding. Just kidding!”

“I take it back. It’s not great to see you.” Bill rolled his eyes.

“Lies, lies, lies.” Charlie toyed with the mug Rosmerta had put in front of him along with the plate. “You never told me how mum reacted to the engagement news.”

“I thought you would see for yourself.”

“Did you really?” Charlie looked at Bill skeptically.

“No,” Bill admitted from behind his butterbeer mug. “I just forgot. There was so much going on during the holidays and it slipped my mind.”

“Fine. Do you mind telling me now?”

“She didn’t react well, I’ll tell you that.” Bill shrunk at the memory of his mum’s blank expression. Molly Weasley was a naturally warm person; she could also be fiery and it was scary. But nothing could compare to her coldness. “She didn’t say anything for a long time. I thought I’d broken her. Everybody was congratulating us and she just stood there.”

“Oh, man. That’s not good.” Charlie took a bite out of his cake, clearly amused.

“Not good? That was only Christmas. Last week, Harry arrived at the Burrow to spend the summer with us. Fleur told him that she was glad he was staying, because there isn’t much to do at home unless you like cooking and chickens.”

“Please, tell me mum didn’t hear that.” Charlie cringed and shut his eyes with force.

“Oh, she did. When I got home from work, I thought she was going to cook Fleur for dinner. Also, Ginny gave her a nasty nickname.”

“I don’t want to know. Really. I don’t.” Charlie waved his hand in front of his face. “That’s too much for me. What are you going to do now?”

“Elope. Get married in France. I have a feeling that mum is going to curse the wedding cake.”

“Nah. She wouldn’t curse the cake. The rings, maybe,” Charlie offered, trying to lighten the mood.

“Charlie, I’m serious.”

“I’d love to support you in this, but this is a bad idea. Mum will outright _kill_ you for eloping, you know that.”

Bill grunted and buried his face in his hands. If Molly Weasley liked you, you were set for life. If she didn’t, then you were in for a treat. Fleur was a spectacular woman. She was smart, she was beautiful, she was kind and hardworking. She was adventurous, she was brave. She was everything Bill had ever wanted. But she was also blunt, direct and very honest. Too blunt, direct and honest. That had clashed horribly with Molly Weasley and her need to be complimented.

“Hello, boys.” The most beautiful woman, with silvery-blond hair and dark blue eyes, kissed Bill on the cheek before sitting down by his side and smiling at Charlie. “I’m sorry I’m late. I had a lot of work to finish.”

Charlie raised an eyebrow at Bill. Bill knew exactly what was going through Charlie’s mind and he agreed. Fleur was breathtaking. She had changed from her Gringotts robes to a light blue one that slightly resembled her old Beauxbatons uniform.

“Hi,” Charlie said, extending his hand across the table. “I’m Charlie.”

Fleur shook his hand and smiled. “I know, silly. Bill’s always talking about you and your job. He won’t shut up about ‘is cool little brother.”

Bill blushed. He knew Fleur was deliberately doing this to embarrass him. He also knew that Charlie would like her even more because of it. Fleur knew her way around people. Well, most people at least. Bill had seen her charm the socks off of so many people, men and women alike, by just being herself. She paid attention to patterns, and she had picked up on the fact that Weasleys loved to make fun of each other. Bill was shocked when he got home one day and saw Fleur and Fred swapping embarrassing stories about him on the sofa like they were best friends.

“Cool, huh? I guess I am. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Fleur.”

“I agree.” She turned to her fiancé. “‘ave you asked ‘im yet?”

“Asked me what?” Charlie interrupted before Bill could reply.

“No. I wanted you two to meet first, get acquainted before I asked him,” said Bill.

“You wanted to make sure he liked me. I get it. I’m not ze most popular person with your family. Now zat Fred and George moved out, your dad and Harry are ze only ones zat talk to me.”

Bill and Charlie smiled. The twins had that effect on people. You couldn’t help but miss them when they were not around.

“Since you brought it up, you ask him, then,” Bill offered. “Can I get you a butterbeer?”

“Oh, yes, please.”

Bill ordered Fleur’s butterbeer and a refill for both him and Charlie. He knew he would be paying the tab for the night. Fleur was scrambling in her pocket for something and smiled big when she found it. She cupped whatever it was between both her hands and placed them on top of the table.

“Bill and I wanted to ask you to be ze best man at our wedding. From all ze stories I’ve ‘eard about you two, ze way he talks about you, I can’t theenk of anyone better.” 

Charlie didn’t know what to say. He was completely caught by surprise, but he managed to let out a “Yes, sure” and that seemed to please the girl.

Fleur opened her hands and Charlie’s eyes fixated immediately on the little thing that was now walking freely on the table. The tiny green dragon moved towards him and eyed him with its yellow eyes. 

“I got ‘im during ze Triwizard Tournament, but I theenk you’ll give ‘im a better home. ‘Is name is Patrick.”

“Bill,” Charlie started with his eyes still glued to the little creature pacing around the table. “I love this woman and if you don’t marry her, I will.”

Bill threw his head back laughing, while Fleur let out a delicate one. That was the happiest Bill had ever seen Charlie, and he knew that it wasn’t just because of the Welsh Green. Bill was also pretty happy himself. His best friend had approved of his fiancée, had accepted to be his Best Man and was sitting right across from him at the Three Broomsticks after a long time. 

Sitting there talking and laughing with Fleur, Charlie, Patrick the Dragon, food, and drinks was perfect. And in that moment, nothing else mattered.


End file.
